Timeless: And The Reason Is You
by buttercup09
Summary: When honor and glory is paramount and painful sacrifices inevitable, Draco and Hermione learn how to live and perhaps even love the hard way, trapped in a world beyond their wildest dreams.
1. Pandora's Box

Summary: Trapped as castle servants in the seemingly Middle Ages, Hermione and Draco's lives become unavoidably intertwined. 

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I just write for fun, all right?

A/N: Finally! Another story I can write! I suddenly got this idea after watching the movie about knights, kings and stuff like that. I don't know if there are other stories _exactly_ like this, but if there are I can assure you that I didn't have any intention of copying them. =)

Everything is FICTIONAL. From the place of the prince's kingdom, the events, the enemies and the prince himself. So please, don't give me any historical lectures since I'm purely inventing most of the details you will encounter in the story. I will however, make this as real as possible. =)

I hope you like this fic as you enjoyed reading Abyss. Well, I'll now stop ranting so you can start reading this story. =) 

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Timeless: And The Reason Is You 

* * ~ ~ * *

Quick hurried footsteps intermingled with sobs suddenly filled the deserted torch-lit hallway. The 6th year student tried vainly not to faint in spite of her immense despair and wounded heart. With a damaged spirit, she kept running to nowhere in particular with only one thought in her head: _I hate him_. Everything around her swam in her watery eyes and every breath she took drained her of energy. Left, right, right, left. She randomly took every turn with her red-brimmed eyes; her head bowed in shame and anguish. She wanted her life to end right then and there since she didn't matter to anyone anymore. _If only I had been stronger, then no one could hurt me… No one…_

* * ~ ~ * *

"Thank god that's over" said Draco Malfoy to himself after finishing his three-hour detention with Madame Pomfrey. If he had to clean one more loo from top to bottom, he'll swear off causing trouble in class for good. He laughed as he thought about that since he knew mischief wasn't just part of his nature, it was in his blood. 

He was walking quite slowly, taking all the time in the world. After all, he had no one to go back to in the Slytherin dormitory. _Pansy… _Draco cringed as her face came in his deep thoughts. She was nothing but a foolish whore, deeply in love with what Draco was and not for who he really is. He became fully immersed in what he was thinking that he wasn't looking at where he was going anymore. Not that it mattered; it was now so late in the night that every hallway he passed was completely deserted. Except for this one.

"Damn it!" shouted Draco as someone suddenly crashed into him. He winced and took a step backward as his attacker fell to her knees, moaning in apparent pain. 

"Watch it, you!" He looked down angrily at the shaking girl and was preparing to give her a piece of his now flared up mind when she slowly looked up.

"Granger!" He was surprised to see her, his anger now dissolving into complete confusion. _What was she doing here in the middle of the night? And wait… Are those tears?_

Hermione's eyes widened as the same exact shock entered her mind. _Oh, no… Why did I have to meet him? Of all people to bump into…_ She suddenly turned away, remembering that she had been crying.

Draco stood still; taking all of Hermione's distressed features in. He suddenly felt himself smirking, his lips moving in sheer mock. "Well, well, Granger… It didn't take long for you to finally believe in those rumors linking Weasley to –"

Her faint cry interrupted him and he silently watched her stand up and run past him. His smirk deepened as his theory was confirmed. Draco quietly remained in that hallway for a couple of minutes, debating with himself before deciding to follow _mudblood Granger_.

* * ~ ~ * *

Hermione slowly walked amongst the thousands of books filling up the enormous and grand library. She had stopped crying now but her heart still throbbed with immeasurable pain. She was now standing in the Restricted Section but since Madame Pince had granted her full permission, no alarm came off. 

She had always found solitude in books, much to the amusement of Harry, his girlfriend Ginny and… Ron. Tears sprung up again as she thought about him while her body suddenly felt weak and she fell down on her knees as a result. She silently rocked back and forth as tears spilled down her face and onto her robes. 

"Why… I trusted you… I loved you…" She looked up to the ceiling, looking for answers but it just remained immobile, silently staring at her. Hermione hugged herself and bent her head down as she closed her eyes. _Try to forget… Forget him… Forget them… _Her long, brown and wavy hair voluntarily hid her face from the non-existent eyes that Hermione felt surrounding her, watching her, mocking her. Doing this, she now had no idea that Draco had so quietly crept into the library and was now nearing her hiding place. 

* * ~ ~ * *

__

"Really, now. She's crying again? Weasley really got to her…" mused Draco as he took one small step after another. He came to the library on an impulse and once again, he was proven correct. And to do what? Did he come all this way here just to tease mudblood Granger? "It'll be worth it," he decidedly said with a bite of his lower lip. 

He knew that she was in the Restricted Section but he didn't turn back; he already knew a thousand and one ways to get into that part without being caught. He was closer to her now for he could already hear her labored breaths. He wasn't planning on surprising her but it now seemed like a good idea. But he frowned as he thought that this act was very childish in every way so he voted against it. He'll just appear in front of her, plain and simple. 

"Hello, Granger."

Hermione couldn't believe what she had just heard. She wanted to melt into an indescribable puddle or better yet, vanish into thin air. Why does Malfoy have to be so heartless? Can't he see that she was already suffering without his patented taunts? "Get the hell away from here, Malfoy…" She didn't know where she found the strength to say those hard words but she knew that her anger at Malfoy's stalking was steadily rising.

"And what if I don't want to?" Draco was smugly standing in front of Hermione, with folded arms and a matching sneer. 

She looked up at him, letting him see the fire of pain and anger in her eyes. "Leave me alone! Why do you keep doing this to me?" Her last sentence was now more of a plea than a well-rounded question.

"You want to know why, mudblood? Well, it's because you –" Draco once again didn't get to finish his sentence but this time it was a huge earthquake that interrupted him. The whole library started to immensely shake and the floor he was standing on was no exception. 

Hermione wildly looked around the dangerously teetering bookshelves while she plunged her hand in her robes. Her wand, she must get it. After a few seconds, she finally realized that she had irresponsibly left it at her dormitory in a fit of torment. "Oh no…"

The earthquake was now so intense that Draco couldn't keep his balance any longer. He reached towards the table Hermione was leaning on earlier. The books were already starting to fall and Hermione had now stood up beside him. He had finally grabbed a hold on the edge of the table when the floor suddenly gave a huge lurch. Hermione cried out and he instantly felt her tight grasp on his arm for support. 

For some reason, he didn't push her away; he was too busy keeping his balance that he had no time to think about it anymore. They remained like this for a few minutes and when they felt that the earthquake was subsiding, Hermione finally let go. 

Draco made a huge show on brushing the sleeve that Hermione had touched and she could only disgustedly sigh in response. 

"I'm leaving Malfoy. You'd better not follow me again." 

He was preparing to make a retort when an object on the floor caught his eye. "What's this?" he slowly asked while bending to pick it up.

Now, Hermione also became intrigued at his comment and thus, took a few steps towards Malfoy. She saw the thing that got Draco's attention: it was a small box of some sort. It looked old and very fragile; accumulated dust had already preyed on it. Hermione felt her forehead wrinkle in confusion; she was trying to connect the presence of the strange box with the library. Libraries are for books but… "That's a box."

Draco looked at her and rolled his eyes. "Well, aren't you just stating the obvious." He blew on it and frowned but nevertheless, picked it up. He turned to Hermione and commented, "There are strange markings…"

She reacted quite violently to this; she knew that if there were things that looked too extraordinary, they were best left alone. "Drop it, Malfoy! You don't know what –"

"Don't get so worked up, Granger. I know what I'm doing." Draco wiped the beads of sweat covering his forehead and licked his now dry lips. He was feeling excited and at the same time, quite scared. The box may hold something valuable inside but it may also be just some worthless piece of junk lying around in one of the bookshelf in the library. He lifted his hand to open it when Hermione's shrill voice startled him.

"No! It might be dangerous or…" 

He teased her again by stepping closer to her. She shrank back in alarm and never took her eyes of the box. With one last smirk, Draco quickly grabbed Hermione's wrist and with the other hand, opened the lid of the box.

"Malfoy! I told you not to –"

Hermione's screams and Draco's surprised shout suddenly filled the vast and empty library. A blinding blue light surrounded them and as unexpectedly as it came, so was its exit. The box, now unsupported, fell to the floor with a soft thump; the only witness to the couple's bizarre disappearance.

* * ~ ~ * *

Madame Pince gave a startled scream when she discovered the box lying on the floor with its lid open. She knew that this was no ordinary situation; the Headmaster had warned her that this was a quite dangerous object. It was actually at his advice that the librarian hid it in some place secure like the Restricted Section. Only a few students went here, the responsible and trustworthy ones. 

It was the earthquake's fault, blamed Madame Pince. It dislodged the box from its hiding place, which happens to be the very back of the bookcase she was standing in front of. She looked around the library and grimaced when she saw the scattered books, some fallen bookshelves and torn pieces of parchment. She eventually bent to pick the box up when her eye suddenly saw something lying not too far from where she was standing. A wand. Her hands trembled as she reached for it and her worst fear was confirmed. It was a student's wand; a student was the one who opened the forbidden box. 

She immediately pocketed the wand, grabbed the open box and with one last look at the partially destroyed library, quickly ran outside and turned towards the direction of the Headmaster's office.

* * ~ ~ * *

Hermione felt sick; a thousand knives were poking through her body and her head felt as though it had been hammered again and again with a large mallet. She was lying face down, on something hard and soft at the same time. Well, at least it smelled good, mused Hermione and further buried herself in the dark robes. Robes? With a shout of alarm, she hastily rolled on her side and shakily stood up. 

With an anguished moan, she looked down on her "bed", which happened to be an unconscious Draco Malfoy. Hermione spat out a curse and hastily decided to leave the git before he had a chance to wake up and make her life miserable again. She was about to walk away when a closer look at her surroundings made her immediately stop dead in her tracks. 

"Oh. My. God." Hermione felt her eyes widen and her breath taken away as she saw for the first time where they really were. They were in a forest, a _real _forest. Colossal trees stretched as far as she can see, the ground she was standing on were covered with leaves of all shapes and sizes and when she looked up, the sun was barely visible; the sunlight was scarce in the forest floor. 

Where was she? Obviously, she wasn't in the Restricted Section or anywhere in Hogwarts anymore. She knew for a fact that she wasn't standing in the Forbidden Forest; she had already been there last year and besides, this particular forest wasn't that foreboding and didn't seem quite dangerous at all; in fact, it was the total opposite. But nevertheless, panic and fear began to rise inside of her since she began to realize that she was in an unknown place – a forest, at that –

with no wand for means of protection.

__

Malfoy. Hermione knew that she had to wake him up, let him know that they were now in a dark forest without anyone in sight. She felt herself burning with anger; this was his fault, opening the box when she told him not to. She marched back to his lying form, knelt down and began to violently shake him by the shoulders. 

"Wake up! Wake up! Open your bloody eyes, goddamn it!" She was already feeling apprehensive and somewhat scared since different animal cries were now slowly filling the desolate forest. "Malfoy, wake up! Wake –"

When Draco finally opened his eyes, Hermione found herself staring at them for a few seconds before annoyingly turning away. "Well, its about time you woke up."

Draco felt disoriented and his head was somewhat throbbing with a small yet painful headache. "What the hell are you talking about, Granger?"

"Look around you."

And he did although he didn't feel any sense of alarm or bafflement like Hermione. "So?"

Her eyes narrowed in irritation and the sudden urge to slap him came suddenly into her mind. She however, restrained and through gritted teeth said, "Can't you see where in the middle of a forest? The box that you so graciously opened took us to god-knows-where!"

He threw his head back and gave a sarcastic laugh. Draco was enjoying every minute of this, seeing Hermione panic like hell and having the upper hand at the situation. He had his trusty wand and – his wand! Where was it? He frantically but quite inconspicuously looked in his pocket.

"Shit."

Hermione didn't like the sound of that, at all. "What is it?"

"Why would I tell you, Granger? Are we friends all of a sudden?" He smirked and stood up, taking a glimpse around the forest. He began to feel anxiety creeping inside of him but he quickly pushed the feeling aside. _No need to let Hermione know that I'm not so sure about staying in this forest either… _"Well, I don't want to stay here and chat with you, Mudblood so I'll just –"

"You're not leaving me here all alone, are you?"

"What if I am?"

She quickly stood up and in a shaking voice, shouted, "You wouldn't dare!"

Draco lifted an eyebrow and smirked. "Try me." He then frowned and walked around, searching for the trail; close at his heels was a torn Hermione. She didn't want to follow him wherever he went but she also didn't want to be left all alone in that deserted place.

After some time, he gave a triumphant shout when he finally found the quite hidden trail while she gave out a sigh of relief. Eager to get out of the humid forest and back to the crowded civilization, Draco began to walk quickly on the path as Hermione followed at a distance.

"Stop following me, Mudblood!" His smugness level was dangerously high with the knowledge of her unwilling dependence on him.

She felt defiant and somewhat guilty at the same time since his accusation was true in a way. But of course, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of realizing that. "I am not following you, Malfoy! And don't call me Mudblood!" She picked up a rock lying on the path and threw it at his back.

Draco turned around and rolled his eyes at the now steaming Hermione. "It really hurt, that did."

If only she had her wand, her only companion would be a very cross ferret but since she left it back at Hogwarts… She gave a long sigh and decided not to make matters worse than they already were by keeping her silence. But Mother Nature had a different idea…

"Damn it!"

Both of them had shouted this curse at the same time as a sudden burst of rain suddenly poured down at them. Draco broke into a run and Hermione, who became reasonably fit during the summer finally caught up to him. They didn't know where to go to but Draco, being the arrogant wizard that he was, relieved heavily on his instincts. He constantly kept to the trail, knowing that it would eventually lead to a road and hopefully, people. He was against seeking for shelter first since he didn't want, under any circumstance, to spend the rest of the day with her. The sooner they get off the road, the sooner she's out of his hair.

The rain was coming down in torrents now, and the couple, now wet to the bone, had already removed their robes and slung them over their shoulder. Mud splattered on their clothes and exposed body parts and their wet hair was a constant menace. Hermione shivered; the cold rain stung her skin repeatedly but she was still determined to get out of the forest as soon as possible.

Then, the rain suddenly stopped; Mother Nature was clearly mocking them. They slowly stopped, panting and still dripping with rainwater. Draco irritatingly ran a hand through his silky, wet hair and looked at Hermione in disdain. She did not look good at every angle; her long hair was now an indistinguishable pool of brown ringlets while her front and backside were almost completely covered with mud, leaves and twigs. 

"You look like you've been through hell, Granger."

"I still am as long as we're together."

His sneer was wiped off his face but he still wanted to insult her. "Really? Now, how could you –"

"Stop. Don't speak..."

"What? What the hell is wrong with you, Granger?"

"Do you hear that?" She had an intense look of concentration in her eyes, her ears straining to hear the growing sound of voices.

He started since he finally heard it too; the sound was the chorus of different voices, seemingly coming from near the path they were standing on. It steadily grew and so did the students' elation. But Draco felt something that something was not right; he stole a glance at Hermione and saw that she too, had a look of doubt in her face.

Without any hesitation, he started running again, this time towards the voices. He had already gone far when she realized that she was the only one left in the trail. 

"Wait! Malfoy!" She began to run in a fast pace; annoyance etched in her face and clenched fists. _I'll catch him… and when I do I'll –_

She had bumped into a stationary Draco Malfoy; he hadn't gotten very far and she only took a minute or two to catch up to him. 

"What are you doing, just standing there? Is anything the matter?"

He replied with a point of his index finger and a gasp of shock erupted from Hermione's still wet lips. "Oh my god… What is this place?"

* * ~ ~ * *

"You called for me, Professor?"

Dumbledore looked tiredly at Harry Potter's confused face before giving a nod. "Yes, Mr. Potter. I have something to ask you."

Harry shrank back in his seat; he feared that one of nightly excursions had come to the Headmaster's knowledge and now, the proper punishment was to be given. He waited with crossed fingers for Professor Dumbledore's question and sharp reprimand.

"Do you happen to know where Miss Granger is?"

One couldn't possibly tell how relieved Harry felt. He eventually relaxed and found himself smiling for no apparent reason. "No, sir." But Harry found himself thinking. He remembered seeing Hermione shortly after dinner but after that… With the confusion after the earthquake, he didn't give a single thought about Hermione's presence since he believed that she would be with the other prefects, checking ang helping fix the damaged parts of Hogwarts.

A long sigh came out of Dumbledore's lips as he opened a drawer in his table. He brought out a small box and placed it on top of his table, clearly visible to Harry. "This, Mr. Potter is no ordinary box to be taken granted of. It's called Pandora's Box – No, not the one you are familiar with but it is just called such." He gave another deep sigh, took off his half-moon spectacles and rubbed his eyes with his wrinkled knuckles. "This is called Pandora's Box simply because it… well, it wasn't made to be foolishly opened by anyone interested."

Now, Harry couldn't see why all of these information had something to do with him or Hermione, for that matter. He tried to keep a blank, interested face but he knew that Dumbledore could always see his true emotions. 

"You are wondering why I am telling you all this. Well, Mr. Potter, I have reason to believe that Miss Granger along with someone else… was taken to another place and time by this very box."

Harry felt his forehead wrinkling in sheer confusion. What again did Dumbledore say? This fragile looking box was a Portkey of some sort? If it was as dangerous as Dumbledore says it is, then why was it kept in the school? He bit his lip as he tried to process everything; questions kept pouring into his head but he didn't immediately voiced them out since he knew Dumbledore would eventually explain everything to him. 

"I know. But always expect the unexpected in this world, Mister Potter." Dumbledore opened the box's lid and peered inside. "Nothing… Now, Professor McGonagall has reported to me that Miss Granger had been missing since late last night. As you might recall, each Head of House thoroughly checked their students after the earthquake. Out of all the Hogwarts students and even the staff, only two were missing."

"Two?" Harry was now interested and he had a sickening guess to one of them. "Hermione?"

"Yes, and…" Dumbledore broke off and opened his drawer once more. He took out a wand and showed it to Harry, who gave quite a reaction.

"That's Malfoy's wand!"

"It was found near the box, thus giving us the conclusion as to who the other missing student is."

Harry immediately felt sorry for Hermione, knowing that her companion the one she disliked the most. He could only imagine what was happening in the place wherever they may be, total pandemonium between the two. "Could they go back?"

Dumbledore traced the strange markings with a finger and shook his head. "If I recall correctly, then, no. I presume this is why Nicadimus had warned me about the box's unique power. This box was basically given to me for safekeeping. Nicadimus trusted me to ensure that no one will open it but alas, I have failed him."

"Is – Is she in any danger?"

Dumbledore smiled and shook his head once more. "No, I do not think so. Nicadimus is a dear friend of mine and I can only describe him as a man with a gifted imagination. Pandora's Box is a portkey to a world purely created from Nicadimus' mind. As to what it is, I have no knowledge. This is why I have never opened it."

Harry was now on his feet, terrified for Hermione's well being and sanity. "Professor! We must owl Nicadimus at once! You can't be sure if they're safe in that world of his; we don't even know where they are!"

"Nicadimus? Ah, well… he's not available at the moment, Mister Potter."

"What do you mean?"

Dumbledore looked sadly at the box before quietly saying, "He's in there with them."

* * ~ ~ * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this! If you did please say so in your REVIEWS and if you didn't (hope not!) well, you can do just the same. =) However, I do need at least 12 reviews before I post the next chapter. I'm cruel so sue me. Hehehe… =) I just hope you didn't get downright bored, constipated, sick, annoyed, displeased, angry, or disappointed after reading this fic. =) 

This is just somewhat of a prologue to the story so expect more about Nicadimus' fantasy world in the following chapters. =) 

The title of this story, "To Be Loved By You" is still under consideration. To be honest with you, I think it actually sucks so it would be great if someone out there could give me a better one. =)

I guess that's about it. I'll see you in a couple of weeks or so… =)


	2. The village of Hon

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Timeless: And The Reason Is You 

Chapter II: The village of Hon

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING, well except for the plot and the new characters. I just write for fun, all right?

* * ~ ~ * *

A/N: To sharmaine, Marille, Caffine, Moonchylde, Tracy (twice!), Dragon, Moon, Agust, Draco, anonymous reviewer, Star, Ann (the lucky 12th reviewer who wins a virtual hug!), sir-writes-a-lot, Hiko, allee kat, amanda, hyper_shark, mya14 (ei liz!), *ME*, LadyLily and Kurayami Pansa, thank you all so much for giving me the chance to continue this story. I really appreciate your encouraging and kind reviews for the first chapter. =) Thank you!

* * ~ ~ * *

"Oh my god… What is this place?"

Draco glanced at Hermione's utterly stunned and bewildered face; relief swept over him when he knew that he wasn't the only one confounded at the present situation.

They were facing towards what looked to be a small village; people were slowly appearing from the stone houses with thatched roofs neatly lined up on the dark, still wet ground. The only problem was the appearance of both the villagers and of the very village itself. The clothes were the most noticeable; the women wore long cotton dresses with aprons and simple headdresses while dirty, drab tunics with plain trousers distinguished the men.

"Where are we, Granger?" He didn't mean for it to be a full-blown question; he was actually just thinking out aloud. He didn't need to let her know that he was as clueless as she was; that meant losing his 'control'.

"I don't know…" She had a concentrated look on her face; it was as if she was trying to remember something, while her fists were clenched and her face was deathly pale.

No one was looking at their direction – so far. The women were busily tidying up the still fresh traces of the sudden rainfall while the men were walking to and fro carrying various objects from broken pieces of wood to bawling farm animals. Children were happily scurrying in every direction; mud already plastered on the hems of their clothes. 

Hermione took a reluctant step forward, still apprehensive at approaching anyone but already impatient in wanting to clear her muddled mind. Her arm was abruptly seized, however, and Draco's anxious voice rang in her ears.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She forced herself not to smile or smirk, even. He was scared as she was but she knew that Draco wanted to keep this certain fact hidden. It was pure haughtiness, plain and simple.

She roughly shook his hand off, glared at him and decidedly approached a young woman passing in their direction. 

"Pardon me, miss. If you could just –"

The young woman stopped, lifted her face towards Hermione's and slowly gasped as she took a closer look at the witch's suspicious appearance. Her eyes widened as she hastily backed away; fear obviously taking over.

"Wait! I just want to talk to you about this village… this place." Hermione stretched out her arm in a gesture of both helplessness and friendship while smiling in a sincere manner. _Please… Oh, please…_

With so much as a startled cry, the woman lifted the hems of her brown skirt and ran away, towards the direction of the inner parts of the village, leaving a bewildered Hermione and a snickering Draco. 

"You're a laugh, Mudblood! Bloody good! Imagine, scaring a poor woman out of her wits with just a pathetic face!" Draco fell on the ground while holding his sides, still shaking with laughter.

His companion resisted every urge to disembowel him alive since she didn't want to continue in this adventure all alone. She did, however, march right up to him and said, "You do it, then."

He stopped in mid-laugh and quickly stood up to face her challenge. "Damn right I will." Without glancing back at the now smirking Hermione, Draco walked towards a child playing in front of a small house of stone nearby. 

The small girl, hearing his footsteps, looked at the approaching stranger but unlike the woman Hermione encountered earlier, she met Draco head on. 

He smiled and whirled around to raise an eyebrow at the fuming Hermione, the glint in his steel gray eyes could only be interpreted as self-satisfaction. He then focused his attention at the girl standing shyly in front of him. Stooping, he patted the braided red hair and asked quietly, "Hello there… What's your name?" Now, the kindness and humility in his voice was just for show, an invaluable aid in wheedling the child into telling him the information he needed. He honestly didn't give a damn about anything related to the girl, his only concern: to get out of there, wherever 'there' may be, as quick as he can.

"Brigid, sir." With head still kept bowed and hands clasped tightly together, the little girl responded with a slight accent.

"Brigid? Well, tell me, Brigid… Where is this place?"

"The village of Hon, sir. In the kingdom of Almeria, under the reign of Prince Henri."

"Malfoy!" 

He impatiently brushed Hermione's urgent cry aside, troubled with little Brigid's sincere answer. Surely she made that all up. Village of Hon? Almeria? Prince Henri? What kind of lies were these? He probably didn't hear right. Yes, that was it. He just misunderstood the child. But still…

"Draco!!!"

Hermione's voice was terrified now, shrill and panicky. With a sudden burst of conscience, Draco finally turned around and irritatingly hissed, "What?"

Hermione shakily pointed at the far right of the village; a throng had assembled around the young woman she had spoken to a little earlier. It wouldn't have bothered her that much if the throng wasn't made of angry, middle-aged and muscular men carrying pitchforks and torches and the hysterical woman wasn't gesturing towards the direction where she was currently standing.

Draco held his breath and almost frantically looked back at his companion. They had to get out of there. And fast. The men were now marching towards them and their gruff and menacing expressions told him that they weren't planning to offer him their warm welcome. 

He quickly grabbed Hermione's hand and broke into a run, into the depths of the forest once again. He would rather take his chances in the dark forest than in the hands of the threatening mob. 

Hermione tried to keep up with him, her legs stretching as far as they could and her feet pounding hard on the wet forest floor. But she wasn't built to be an athlete and the stitch in her side was working up again. She quickly grew tired and the desire to stop grew inside her. She was now being pulled rather than running independently. She just couldn't go on anymore…

__

Damn it, Mudblood! Move faster or we'll get caught… From the gasping sounds she was producing, Draco knew that Hermione's strength was fading fast. But they were still near the village and the mob was still after them. They had to get deeper into the forest but with Hermione's present condition, Draco clearly doubted whether they could get that far. 

She winced as Draco's nails dug into her skin, his grasp tightening on her cold, damp wrist. Their fear grew more apparent now, mingling with every hurried step. Voices, angry and cruel ones, surrounded them, quickly filling the once silent forest. Hermione didn't want to look back, knowing that if she did, she would finally faint in exhaustion and insurmountable defeat. 

The voices and pounding feet were much closer now; Draco could already see a few flickering torches here and there. A few more minutes and they'll surely be caught. His heavy panting betrayed his slowly rising fatigue but he wasn't prepared to give up just yet. No man can ever take a Pureblood by forceful means.

Suddenly, Draco felt the supposedly solid ground give way beneath him. They had unwittingly stumbled into one of the villagers' forgotten traps hidden beneath a pile of undisturbed leaves. With a sharp cry, he fell in the deep hole along with the shrieking Hermione. Fortunately, he had the presence of mind to quickly grasp a rock protruding at the sides with his free hand (the other one is still grasping Hermione's wrist, remember?). With a grunt, he came to a stop not a moment too late. 

"Damn it!" Draco could feel his muscles straining to keep his hold both on the slippery rock and on Hermione's very pale wrist. The couple was hanging very precariously and any minute now they would finally be enveloped by the dark abyss waiting for them below.

Hermione's strength was failing and she felt herself slowly slipping into unconsciousness. A murmur slipped from her dry, chapped lips. "Draco…"

"Don't do this to me, Mudblood! Wake up!" He looked down at Hermione and a sudden bolt of fear and annoyance ran through him, seeing that her eyes were already half-closed. He struggled to get a better grip on the rock but after doing so, he suddenly felt Hermione's wrist slipping form his clammy grasp. Frantically trying to keep his hold on her, his hand holding on to the rock dangerously started to slide nearer the edge. Draco gritted his teeth as every inch of his arm muscles were stretched to their very extent; he knew that he couldn't keep his grip any longer and it would have to come down to him letting go of the rock or Hermione's hand. Gravity decided for him and suddenly, his hand was holding nothing but stale air. 

"No!!!" Draco exclaimed as he helplessly watched her silently tumble down, down into the darkness. His arm was outstretched in the very last moment in a futile hope of catching her. 

__

No… No… This can't be… He stared wildly back down at the shadowy depths; vainly searching for a trace of his companion. _I dropped her… killed – _

"For the Prince of Almeria! Down to Nantes!"

With a curse, Draco started to climb back up. Sweat now covered his body along with a great amount of muck and stench. Slowly, he inched his way up and while doing so, a great wave of guilt and anguish filled him. Hermione had fallen to the bottom of the pit because of him. No matter how much he hated her, he never really did want her to die. Well, at least, not on his account.

A few harrowing and painful minutes later, Draco's grimy hands finally touched the solid forest ground once more. Draco fell down to his knees in exhaustion; his silver blonde hair in wet tangles and his terribly pale face marred with red scratches. After forcing himself to get back up, Draco took one last look at the pit and began to run shakily away, deeper into the heart of the unknown forest. 

* * ~ ~ * *

"You shall not go near her, Froech!"

"How dare you defy me, Hesse! If only you were not – Very well, I will let her be. However, remember this, no good will come to you as long as that girl remains in your dwelling."

A door slammed shut and a soft sigh followed, stirring Hermione from her unconscious state. She felt something cold touch her cheeks and her heavy eyelids fluttered at the sudden sensation. After a few moments, she slowly opened her amber colored eyes and to her amazement and horror, a woman of the unpleasant village was staring at her in concern. 

A soothing voice entered her still muddled thoughts, "How is thy self, child?"

__

Well, Hermione thought, _her head was throbbing, her throat was parched and her back hurt like hell but otherwise she was – Wait, what was she doing here? Who is the woman kneeling in front of her? What happened to the mob? To… Malfoy?_

Hermione merely stuttered incoherently in response, confused with the present situation she was in. Thinking that the young witch was still delirious, the motherly woman furrowed her eyebrows and carefully touched Hermione's forehead. "Perhaps a bath shall do thee good. Come, lass and follow Hesse." The woman helped the slightly nauseous Hermione shakily stand up and took hold of her arm. She led Hermione into a small room with a cot, a table with a medium-sized bucket and a matching chair as its only furniture. 

"Now, child, cleanse thyself and put these on." Hesse thrust a bundle of clothes into Hermione's arms and turned to leave. "I will wash thy …clothes later." She added while warily eyeing Hermione's dirt-matted uniform. 

"But – Wait! What – Where… am I?" Hermione desperately clutched the bundle and took a step forward.

Hesse smiled grimly and shook her head. "Wash thyself first then all shall be known." The door opened then softly closed, leaving the now gaping Hermione all alone.

__

This is not good… This is definitely not good. Hermione frantically looked around the dismal room, vaguely noting that the light illuminating it only came from an open window. She was alone in this unknown place, undeniably vulnerable and still weak, while having absolutely no idea how to get back to Hogwarts. 

With an anguished moan, she dropped down on the chair and gazed at her reflection in the bucket. Her troubled face partially covered with mud stared expectantly back at her as if taunting her to come up with answers she was known for always having. She stayed in this position for a long time, racking her brain for a plausible reason for all this, surely 

"Is thee finished, child?" Hesse's muffled voice interrupted her deep reverie, making her bump into the table in surprise.

"Erm – Not yet! I… er…"

"Do you need help?"

"No! I'll be out in a few minutes."

Hesse seemed convinced since Hermione heard footsteps move away from the door.

Hermione bit her lip and finally started to undress herself, leaving only her undergarments on. She forlornly looked at the innocent bucket then at her mud-caked body. How was she supposed to thoroughly clean herself with only one bucket of water? Sighing, she nevertheless dipped the cloth in the cold water and proceeded to wipe herself with it. It was a slow task, the mud had now hardened on her body and her hair just wouldn't be cleared of leaves and dirt. 

More than just a few minutes later, Hermione felt that she was now presentable in the very least. She couldn't see for herself if she was indeed clean since there was no mirror to be found in the room. She started to run her hand through her hair to straighten it out but when it got immediately got caught in the tangles, she quickly changed her mind. 

Turning to the bundle Hesse had given her earlier, Hermione unfolded the garments and held each one at arm's length. She was given clothes quite similar to the one Hesse was wearing; a long, loose gray dress with equally long sleeves, an apron-like garment of brown that went from the shoulders down and was tied at the sides and dark green stockings. Hermione gingerly put these all on while vaguely wishing that she could see herself in a mirror. _I must look ridiculous,_ mused Hermione as she walked towards the door. _Thank goodness, Malfoy isn't – _She started as she realized that this particular fact was anything but good, well, at least for the time being. 

Opening the door, she carefully stepped out into the hallway, half-expecting a mob waiting outside to capture her. This was after all the house of one of the villagers, part of the insane crowd or not. Hermione felt that she was still in danger; her mind was already forming an escape plan when Hesse suddenly appeared in front of her.

"It's about time, child." She took Hermione's soiled bundle while smiling fondly at the slightly surprised Hermione. "A perfect fit…"

"I… erm… don't know if I put these on correctly." Hermione tugged the gray skirt and looked sheepishly at Hesse. "And my hair…"

"Ah… We shall do something about it. Wait here." With that, Hesse disappeared around a corner and after a minute, came back with a comb and weathered shoes in place of the dirty clothes. She thrust them into Hermione's clammy hands and said, "Supper is just about ready. Come…"

Hermione hesitated while nervously fingering the uneven teeth of the comb, still unsure whether she could fully trust Hesse. The elderly woman noticed this and smiled. "Now, lass, I do not have any desire to harm you… unlike the others." 

Hermione decided to keep her fear at bay for the meantime; mutely nodding, she silently followed Hesse to a fire-lit room, which appeared to be the kitchen. She noticed a patched pot hanging in the small hearth, steam already rising from its mouth. 

"Sit, child and comb thy hair." Hesse distractedly pointed to the wooden table and chairs in the center of the room while stirring the pot's contents. 

Hermione obeyed and slowly removed most of the tangles from her still quite soiled hair as she tried to calm her fast-beating heart and whirring mind. The leather shoes, she discovered to her dismay, was quite big for her and she could only content herself to tying the laces very tightly. Her eyes silently followed the bustling elderly woman, who was walking to and fro and placing wooden utensils and a plate of bread on the table.

After a few minutes, Hesse scooped the hot porridge into two wooden bowls and sat across Hermione after handing her one steaming bowl and a slice of the bread. "Nourish thyself and a good rest shall follow. "

Hermione couldn't keep her silence any longer; she needed to understand everything in order to keep herself from going insane with fear and doubt. "Please, Hesse, I have to know what happened to me, why I ended up in your house… why my companion isn't with me… Why, you haven't even asked for my name yet…"

"The mind is full of queries, hmm? Very well, halt that strange speaking tongue of yours and I shall explain while you eat." Hesse raised an eyebrow at Hermione's still untouched porridge. 

Hermione warily spooned a bit of porridge and ate; slowly chewing, a sudden burst of flavor filled her mouth and her body tingled with newfound energy. She involuntarily smiled and found herself wanting more.

"I see you appreciate my cooking. You are not the first, lass. Now, as for your queries… I saved you from Froech's mad wishes to see you tortured then burned."

Hermione felt her heart drop. "Tortured? Burned?" What kind of people did she run into?

"Yes. You see, Froech is dangerously watchful these days… With the war with Nantes, Froech is convinced that every unknown traveler is a spy from Nantes." Hesse drank heavily from her cup and added, "He is extremely loyal to the prince."

"And you were the one who took me from him." Hermione suddenly felt guilty that she ever doubted Hesse.

Hesse smiled but her eyes were anything but glad. "He was very hard to convince. Even the blood of one's kin knows its boundaries."

Hermione started but tactfully didn't comment further. However, one thought was still nagging in her mind. "But – How did Froech catch me? I remember that the mob… er… the villagers were still running after us and we – " Suddenly remembering the not-so-pleasant details only she could've known, Hermione gasped as she dropped the spoon into the half-filed bowl and whispered, "We fell into a hole… Malfoy was holding me and I… He was shouting something and I felt oh, so tired and…" Her eyes widened much farther as recalled the most vital detail that was the very cause of her presence in Hesse's dwelling. "That egotistical bastard dropped me!"

* * ~ ~ * *

Draco couldn't help but shiver. This forest was proving to be a very undesirable place to spend the night; the air was terribly cold and the rocky ground wasn't meant to be lied upon. Add his rumbling stomach, his filthy and worn-out self and his unnerving conscience, Draco wasn't looking forward to a good night at all.

As the branches shook under the weight of the passing wind and the wolves cried over the yellow moon, Draco tried not to think about his present situation. He did not want to hear the voices of the mob nor the pale, tumbling figure of the Mudblood over again. But still they persisted, keeping him company in the cold, wet forest floor.

Oh, how he wanted to sleep but for some reason, it evaded him, leaving him to deal with the dilemma at once. He whined, even threatened everything around him, from the dead leaves to the wispy, semi-transparent clouds, just to get a moment's rest.

Draco shivered more violently this time, only having his damp robes to wrap around himself. He knew he had to get something to eat but from his journey so far, he still hasn't seen any fruit-bearing plant. He hung his head in despair while annoyingly brushing his hair back. If only he hadn't let go of – Wait. He didn't let go; she slipped. It wasn't his fault, goddamn it! If she hadn't fainted at the very last minute, she would still be here… alive. Yes, it was her fault. Not his. 

The wind howled more fiercely this time; it was as if it was clearly contesting his claims. Draco narrowed his eyes and leaned further on the huge trunk of a tree. If he hadn't dropped – all right, if the Mudblood hadn't slipped from his grasp, then he would definitely be in a better situation right now. She knew something, judging from her reaction when she first saw the village. 

Finally, Draco felt himself getting drowsy. He stretched his aching arms and tried to settle into a comfortable position against the tree. After a minute of pure tossing and turning, he finally found the most suitable one and slowly closed his eyes.

A wolf cry suddenly pierced through the dead silence of the night and Draco found himself wide awake. I'll never be able to sleep peacefully, he woefully thought as he ruefully looked at the thick bushes on his right. Fearing for his life rather than a terrible headache, he finally decided not to sleep or even dare to close his eyes at all.

* * ~ ~ * *

"Now, child, calm thyself. Surely he cannot be that vile."

Hermione looked forlornly at the amused Hesse, shifting in the thin bed of straw. Losing her appetite after remembering what Malfoy did to her, she was brought to the room she was in earlier. "You've never met him, Hesse and may you never will."

Hesse flattened the somewhat thing but warm blanket covering Hermione's lying but awake form. "Hush now, child. Rest… for sunrise shall need much of your energy."

"Sunrise? Oh, tomorrow… But why – "

"Lord Gareth will be passing by the village and hopefully, you shall join him in his travel to the castle." Hesse had now stood up and seemed to be avoiding Hermione's confused eyes.

"Who? What – Why will I be joining him? Hesse?"

"Forgive me, my child. You cannot stay in my dwelling. I have tried – "

Hermione sat back up, eyes wide with fear and with a slowly paling face. "Cannot stay? But Hesse – You told me that – "

"I can only protect you for tonight, my child. Froech does not want you here and he is not the only one. I cannot hold them back for much longer. You will be safer in the castle of Lyon."

Hermione couldn't breathe; her mind was whirring again and her heart beating at an enormously fast pace. "Safer in the castle… You won't go with me, will you?"

Hesse shook her head and in a sad voice said, "No. My place is here and yours is not. Forgive me…" Not even waiting for Hermione's reply, she immediately opened the door and 

Hermione couldn't believe this; after escaping the bloodthirsty mob, she would be plunged into the outside world again, unprepared and ultimately vulnerable. It was this unknown world that drove her mad with apprehension and confusion; she didn't know where she was… or did she? 

Everything she observed around her all lead to one conclusion: she was in the Middle Ages. Hermione felt faint again and as she slowly lay back down, her mind focused on the box Malfoy had opened in what seemed to be ages ago. _It must have been a Portkey of some sort, but who placed it in the library? To whom was it meant for?_

Fatigue was slowly overpowering her, making her previously alert mind now unbearably heavy. She was still asking herself questions, however, even though her eyes were already closed. _Will I be able to met Malfoy again? Is there someone here in this world who could help us? Can we – _Hermione yawned and turned to her side._ Can we ever get back to our time?_

* * ~ ~ * *

In a private room lit by candlelight and a roaring fire in the fireplace of stone, a cloaked man smiled ominously as he watched the swirling mist in the boiling cauldron. A sleeping Hermione and Draco materialized in the wispy vapors and after a few moments, was replaced by a darker, thicker shroud of mist. The man narrowed his eyes in obvious annoyance as he poured a violet-colored liquid into the cauldron and almost immediately, the vapors were clear once again, Hermione and Draco were nowhere to be found.

Sighing, the man pulled the cloak closer to him and started walking towards a stone wall. With one last grim look at the still misty cauldron, he touched the innocent looking wall and after it slid noiselessly open, entered the dark passageway it revealed.

* * ~ ~ * *

A/N: Well, long time no see, dear reader. I am dreadfully sorry for the very late update but for your precious sanity, better get used to this… However, I will try to post the next chapters much faster in order to make up for lost time. =) 

I do hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter. Not much Draco/Hermione action here but I promise there will be… a lot! Was this chapter too long that it got a bit boring? Kindly tell me your suggestions, praises (whohooo!) or violent reactions/flames (Erm… No comment!) in your **REVIEWS**. *hint hint* =) The more reviews, the faster I'll update! I really do have to stop making promises… =) 

I'm still considering the title… Please give me your suggestions…=)

Let's see… the 31st reviewer will get a virtual um… virtual… um… something virtual. =) See ya in two weeks! 

* * ~ ~ * * 

After every chapter, I will give a "teaser" of the next one to come, hopefully making your wait a little more unbearable. =) Have fun! 

Chapter 3 summary: Taken by Lord Gareth, Hermione travels to the castle of Lyon, fearful of what lies in store for her. Draco is saved by a knight and is also brought to the same castle where he is forced to work as a servant. The question that comes to mind is, will their paths somehow cross and be able to meet once again?

A/N: (April 2003) I've finally come up with a title I really like. Wheeeee…. 


	3. Sold and Saved

****

Timeless: And The Reason Is You

Chapter III: Sold and Saved

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING, well except for the plot and the new characters (mine. mine. mine!!! I just write for fun, all right?)

* * ~ ~ * *

A/N: How long has it been? One year? Whoa… I am terribly sorry to all those who waited in painful agony for an update (especially midnight solitaire). I won't give any more excuses for I have simply exhausted all of them. However, I can definitely make it up to all of you now that Abyss (my other story) is on hold and thus, I can fully concentrate on continuing and hopefully, finishing this particular fic. I could keep rambling on but then the next chapter is just around the corner… I certainly wouldn't want to keep you waiting after all this time… Enjoy!

* * ~ ~ * *

"My child, I am not sending you away in spite. Nay, it pains me greatly to be parted from you but the walls of Dijon can provide the very safety our little village dearly prays for. With the Nantese in our very borders and with my people's distrust in your presence…" 

Hesse's tearful farewell kept playing in Hermione's mind as she shifted in her seat. The young boy next to her gave an irritated moan and turned to his side. Sighing, Hermione looked back towards the window and willed herself not to break down in tears. She couldn't tell how far she was from Hon or even how long they had been travelling since the landscape never changed from the moment they started. All she could see were fields and hundreds of trees and an occasional manor in the distance. They rarely passed anyone and if another caravan came along the same road, only a few words between the horsemen were exchanged. 

Their wagon suddenly passed over a rut in the road and Hermione quickly braced herself for the crashing of the pots and pans stacked all over the cramped place. Thankfully, nothing fell and the boy kept snoring in his dreamy state. Hermione's thoughts then turned to the servant who placed her inside such a place. After Lord Gareth begrudgingly agreed to accommodate Hermione, she was turned over to a haughty looking woman who in turn, disposed of her by ordering her to get inside the particular wagon. Hermione kept silent even after such a treatment since she knew that she would rather keep the pots and pans company than walk all the way in the scorching heat to the castle.

As the day wore on, Hermione in absolute boredom began thinking about the one person who made all of her torment possible: Draco Malfoy. She cringed as his taunting voice and malicious smirk swam in her head but she preferred thinking about him than a certain redhead she left back home. "I wonder if he's all right," said Hermione to no one in particular since the boy was still sleeping soundly to care. "I mean, I couldn't care less if he just disappeared from my life completely but this time, I – _ugh_ – need to be with him. I have to find him soon if I want to find out how to get back. Of course, I'm perfectly contented with leaving him here but I certainly can't do everything alone." Hermione sighed and hugged the package in her arms. It was her school uniform, freshly washed and dried, and her only reminder of the world she left behind. As tears fell on her cheeks, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep for it was the only refuge she had against the feeling of hopelessness that slowly enveloped her heart. 

* * ~ ~ * *

Hermione's hand shook as she spooned a lumpy mass of steaming gruel and her breath became even more ragged as the bitter night endlessly brought cold mists that passed through the wagon's rusted bars. She had already draped her school robes over her shoulders but the temporary warmth it provided wasn't enough. The gruel on the other hand was a small consolation for though terribly bland, it still gave Hermione enough nourishment to last throughout the night and even the next morning. 

The boy was now wide awake, immediately aroused by the gruel's aroma when the haughty girl suddenly opened the door and pushed two bowls across the floor. His own bowl lay abandoned on the floor, having finished it immediately after it arrived and he was now eyeing Hermione's every so often. But he remained quiet, save for the few groans he muttered every now and then, and merely returned his companion's warm smile with a wary gaze. 

As minutes grew into long hours and as the heavenly stars slowly disappeared into the breaking daylight, Hermione finally took note of the boy's disheveled appearance out of boredom and mild interest. He looked about ten though his eyes would suggest otherwise for they betrayed emotions that no longer knew innocence and laughter. Loose mud-caked clothes hid his frail body while his thin arms were clearly marked with wounds and bruises. His hands were no longer that of a child for they had already grown rough and scarred, an everlasting reminder of ordeals one at such an age should not have faced. 

All this Hermione slowly took in and a wave of compassion and bewilderment involuntarily moved her to take the boy's hands in her own. The boy flinched but did not break away, his intense stare meeting Hermione's head-on. Finally he found the strength to speak once again, his voice as hard as his gaze. "They will sell you too just as I have been." 

Hermione started at this revelation and her voice faltered as she urged the boy to tell her more. But he merely shook his head and said, "In Dijon we both shall know but I do not care what lies in store for me… "

"But you are just a little boy! How can you talk like that? You have your whole life ahead of you and you've already given up," cried a now troubled Hermione. _What happened to him that made him lose all meaning in life? _

The boy suddenly wrenched his hands free and roughly pushed Hermione away. Tears sprung from his eyes as his face contorted in anger and pain. "The Nantese took her away…. I saw them… I saw what you did not see! I saw them! I – " His upset tirade was finally cut short when Hermione wrapped her arms around his shaking body. He could not stop crying but her tight embrace helped lighten the heavy burden that plagued his very soul once again. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of that… I had no idea… I'm so sorry, " whispered Hermione as she slowly rocked the young boy back and forth. But even as her voice remained calm and soothing, deep inside fear and panic was taking over. _Then it's true! Everyone is in danger from the Nantese. There's a war going on and I'm stuck in the middle of it… _Hermione fearfully looked out the tiny window but she couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. She then turned to the boy and to her surprise found him sound asleep in her shoulder. 

__

The war has already caused this boy's loved one… Who knows what it might do to me? I really have to get back to Hogwarts before anything else happens… With a weary sigh, Hermione gently placed the boy back on his corner but now with her school robes under his head. She contented herself with leaning back on the wagon's tattered walls and tried to forget about the dilemma of getting back home and instead concentrate on the final destination that lay ahead: Dijon. 

* * ~ ~ * *

"Well, wake up! Wake up! They won't wait all day for you!"

"What… What's going on?" Hermione slowly opened her eyes and yawned loudly. She had only fallen asleep an hour before and she wasn't exactly prepared to immediately move at a moment's notice. 

"Move it, lass!" 

Somewhat more alert, Hermione saw the haughty servant standing outside the open door looking very annoyed. A shuffling noise to her left caused her to look at the young boy and to her surprise, he was already standing up and slowly moving out of the wagon. With great difficulty, Hermione finally got up and followed after the boy, bending almost all the way to her knees. 

Having sat for almost three days straight in a tightly cramped space, Hermione gratefully stretched her almost aching and almost numb body while taking deep breaths of fresh, open air. Only that it wasn't too fresh as Hermione quickly noted for a somewhat stale and pungent smell was distinctly present all around her. 

"Come on, now!" Hermione was suddenly grasped by the arm and she winced at the intense pressure the haughty servant applied. 

"But wait…" Dazed and confused, she finally found enough nerve to speak but the woman ignored her and instead started pulling her away from the wagon and from the little boy who was now being led away to the opposite direction by another man. Oddly enough, he was following his captor quite obediently whereas Hermione was slowly making a scene.

"Wait – Where are you taking me? Let me go!" But the woman's grip was as hard as steel and even though Hermione tried to stop in her tracks, the woman still pulled her along without much difficulty. 

"That woman back in the village of Hon did me a favor by begging Lord Gareth to bring you along! She did not know what future awaited you here else she would have changed her mind."

"Please let me go! Just stop it! Please…" Tears stung Hermione's eyes, as the woman's nails dug harder into her skin whenever she resisted. After a few more futile pleas, she finally gave up resisting and quietly continued walking alongside the woman. Not preoccupied with escaping anymore, Hermione fully saw her surroundings for the very first time. They were walking in a dimly lit alley, enclosed by dingy houses though they appeared to be abandoned while grimly dressed peasants roamed the corners, whispering among themselves. 

A wide opening appeared on their right and the woman quickly walked towards it, tugging Hermione beside her. After a few meters, they turned another corner and Hermione shielded her eyes as bright sunlight suddenly greeted them. They had finally crossed the abandoned village of Felian and had arrived at the edge of the town of Dijon. To Hermione's surprise, a young lady who looked not much older than her was standing right across them and before she knew it, she was roughly pushed towards the girl. 

"Here is another, Dinah. Tell Nimue I have fulfilled my part of the bargain." 

The girl smiled and softly replied, "That I shall do. And shall I tell her to expect your presence in the festival?"

"If my lord returns in time for it." And with one last scornful look towards Hermione, the woman disappeared back into the shadows. 

"Shall we?" said Dinah, acknowledging Hermione for the first time and without waiting for any response, started moving towards an open courtyard directly in front of them. 

Hermione quickly followed but this time stayed a few paces behind her. Unlike the woman who brought her here, Dinah was dressed in a finer attire while her demeanor was undoubtedly more civilized. The people they passed by paid no heed to the both of them and even the soldier standing guard at the gate merely waved their entrance through. Past the gate at the end of the courtyard was an open grass-covered area, which eventually forked to three tunnels. Dinah took the upper right one, which finally led to another stone courtyard, far larger than the previous one, bustling with activity. Everywhere Hermione looked, there was bound to be a single person preoccupied with a certain task. Almost everyone was talking at the same time while quite a number of scattered horses added their own unique sounds to the din. 

Entranced by the spectacle, Hermione quickly lost sight of her companion but after a few minutes of frantic searching, she finally caught sight of her near the entrance of yet another tunnel. _When will this ever end?_ thought Hermione ruefully as she trudged towards the patiently waiting Dinah. Instead of leading into another open area this tunnel abruptly ended at an iron gate heavily guarded by soldiers with long handled axes which barred the door. Dinah immediately dropped down in a curtsy and said carefully, "I have returned from Nimue's bidding while she is to do service in the castle." Dinah swept her arm towards Hermione who was now standing rooted to the spot with wide eyes locked on the large blades. 

The guard closest to them peered more closely at Hermione, clearly doubtful whether to let her pass. "You speak the truth, woman?"

"Aye. I call on the name of His Majesty to stand witness to my vow." 

"Very well." The other two guards uncrossed their axes while the interrogator took a ring of keys from his chest. 

The two walked quickly inside and when the gate clanged shut behind them, Dinah turned to Hermione and said, "Only the castle servants know this passageway. You are to speak of this to no one." 

Hermione quickly nodded and Dinah resumed walking through the torch-lit hallway they were now in. The hallway suddenly veered to the right and at the very end loomed a stone staircase. Hermione's footsteps echoed loudly as they went down and as they arrived at the landing another woman was waiting for them. 

"Nimue, I have done just as you have asked. This is the girl brought by Lord Gareth's servant." Dinah prodded Hermione forward and the elderly woman named Nimue took Hermione by the chin and turned her face this way and that. "Your name, child?"

"Hermione." Nimue strangely reminded her of Professor McGonagall: terribly strict and disciplined although the same tenderness that made the professor a motherly figure in Hogwarts did not appear in Nimue's manner.

"You seem not to have worked at all! Are you used to hard labor, Hermione?" Nimue was now observing her hands, perplexed at the absence of boils and calluses usually present in a peasant's hand.

__

Hard labor? Just what kind of work am I expected to do here?! "Well, I'm not exactly sure – "

But Nimue simply brushed her answer away with a wave of her gnarled hand and turning to Dinah said, "I expect the best, of course. See to it that she does not disappoint. Lead her to Laura's quarters then show her to her work afterwards." With that, Nimue turned around and quickly left them, her large skirt noisily rustling after her. 

Dinah beckoned to Hermione and they started walking in the opposite direction. With every step she took, Hermione fell even deeper in a pit of despair. She knew that once she officially became a servant, the chances of leaving and safely getting back was now remotely slim. She could make a run for it now; Dinah did not look like she was strong enough to hold her down but then again it was definitely more dangerous for her to be out in the open while the Almerians and the Nantese were having a go at each other. She would just have to patiently wait and bear her current status until an opportune time presented itself. 

"Here we are." Dinah opened a door and stepped inside. But instead of another dingy corridor before her, Hermione found herself in a brightly-lit hallway with numerous closed doors on one side. Dinah passed one door after the other until Hermione lost track of just how many there were. They finally stopped near the end of the line and after Dinah turned a key in the lock, she pushed the door open but did not enter the room. Hermione slowly stepped inside after Dinah waved her hand to let her in and she immediately sank down on the cold floor in gratitude and relief. 

"Don't get too comfortable, Hermione. I will come back after a short while and you have to be clean and dressed by then, " remarked Dinah as she closed the door but it immediately opened again and Dinah's head popped in. "You may wash yourself in there," said Dinah as she pointed across the room. " And be sure you are thoroughly clean," she added, stressing on the word clean after taking another disapproving look at Hermione's disheveled appearance. 

After Dinah's footsteps faded in the background Hermione lazily stood up and looked around the room she was now in. Across her were four simple beds while a wooden table and chairs occupied the space on her right. There was also a broken cabinet near the beds and a small makeshift fireplace completed the overall look. Knowing that Dinah would return at any time, Hermione started walking briskly to the door that Dinah had pointed earlier, opened it and stepped outside. Tall wooden walls surrounded a small area beyond the door while four large buckets full of water and a round wooden basin sat quietly at the far left. Hermione suddenly found herself immediately wanting a bath for she had after all, just traveled for three days with only a damp washcloth to clean her face while her vain attempt at washing herself back at Hesse's only proved to be a temporary bonus. 

Stripping quickly off all her clothes, Hermione went straight to the buckets and without any more thought, dumped one's entire contents all over her aching body. She did not clean herself yet and she simply took her time relishing the water's cold sensation, which started to bring her back to full consciousness. She knew how much she needed that; the past days had just been unbearable to both her mind and body and she craved for another boost to help her get through. 

Hermione finally dropped on her knees in exhaustion and reaching for another bucket, poured more water over her head. But this time she stopped halfway through and as she sat silently, waiting for her fears and problems to be washed away, tears slowly dropped down her face and mingled with the crystal clear water running down her body. 

* * ~ ~ * *

It was sheer determination that drove Draco to stagger amidst leaf laden paths, thick and thorny bushes, water filled pits and clearings sometimes inhabited by rotting corpses. It was sheer determination to survive this hell-hole but it could also simply be his natural characteristic as a Malfoy to desire victory before any challenge, be it life-threatening or otherwise. 

A hawk's cry suddenly echoed throughout the silent forest and Draco immediately flinched at the sound. After a few more steps he collapsed on the muddy ground, exhausted and starving to death. He gave a low moan and turned on his back, savoring the few rays of sunlight that now warmed his ice-cold face. He knew he wouldn't last until nightfall but he wasn't exactly keen on giving up either. I will get out of this place at whatever cost, thought Draco as his wounded fists slowly clenched at his sides. The hawk gave another piecing screech and this time, it jolted the wizard's dying spirit back to life. 

Summoning all his remaining energy, Draco slowly stood up once more and vainly tried to look around him for the trail he abandoned hours ago. But there was no worn-out path to be seen and Draco was only left with the option to retrace his steps. With fatigue and hunger threatening him into unconsciousness, he sped up his pace and only stopped whenever his legs would finally give way. The sun was already setting in the red-blood sky when Draco finally found the trail. He broke into a staggering run, leaning on tree trunks for support, and followed the worn path that headed west of the forest. It seemed that the trail was indeed the right one for the heavy air somehow became fresher after a few meters and the never ending line of trees became thinner. His strength and energy renewed, Draco kept on going on well into the night, fully ignoring his aching muscles and pessimistic thoughts. 

However, as the night lingered on and as the now cold air became shrouded mists, Draco simply could not take the journey any longer and he wearily dropped on his knees. Pushed beyond his limit, he finally gave in to exhaustion and resignation. With his head bent back, he let the bitter air sting his scratched face while his equally cold eyes beheld the still partially covered moon. No cruel laugh escaped from his dry chapped lips for his once intimidating voice became terribly hoarse and weak. He contented himself with a sarcastic smile, the next best means to mock and taunt his own self for landing in such a predicament. 

__

If you had only listened to her… _She told you not to open the box. Look at where your self-righteous act brought you now…_ Draco kept strangely silent, seemingly struck guilty by the accusations suddenly pounding through his troubled mind. As the leaves rustled in the now howling wind, Draco slowly found himself finally surrendering to the undeniable truth. His spirit having lost the temporary spark the hawk had provided earlier no longer desired to fight or to even try anymore. 

With eyes half-closed, Draco found himself smiling once more. He had always waited for the chance to escape the harsh realities of his life but he never knew it was going to be like this. With one last look at the dark sky, he collapsed and waited for the darkness to finally close in. Too preoccupied with waiting for death, Draco didn't notice the surprised man who just emerged from behind the trees. 

* * ~ ~ * *

The knight shifted uneasily on his horse. His page was taking a long time retrieving the banner that had been blown into the forest when they set up camp earlier. He wanted to arrive in Dijon by sunrise but he knew it would be impossible to achieve at the rate they were going. 

"All is quiet, Colric. You need not cast your eyes over your shoulder."

The servant looked sheepishly back at the knight and lowered his head. "They say that the fighters of Nantes are abroad, my lord. The forest is already filled with the dead…" His wide eyes traveled to the great trees looming on their left but when he met the knight's disapproving stare, he gave another bow and simply moved away.

"That is why we are keeping to the road," muttered the knight to himself. He knew Colric was right in his assumptions but there was no need for an unfounded alarm. At least, not yet. The villages surrounding the area were terrorized every now and then by the Nantese but only a few had been apprehended since the beginning of the onslaught. 

The hawk on his shoulder suddenly gave a screech as heavy footsteps broke the silence of the bleak night. The knight immediately drew his sword while Colric grabbed a branch lying on the ground and with heavily trembling hands, held it in front of him. 

"My lord, it is I, Fortin! I have returned!" 

Upon hearing the voice the knight relaxed his grip and returned the greeting. "Come Fortin, for your tarrying has cost us almost half a day's march." He sheathed his sword and pulled on the horse's reins. "We now make haste!" The hawk immediately gave a cry and flew into the night. 

"My lord!" The ill-gotten page now emerged from the forest and cried out once again, this time with more difficulty. "Sir Kay! I have found something more than your banner!"

The knight finally turned around and gripped the reins more tightly in surprise. Fortin was carrying something – no, someone on his back somewhat hidden by the blue cloth. The banner was wrapped around an unconscious young man whose skin was as pale as the moon. 

* * ~ ~ * *

"Damn it! God, how I hate wearing this!" Hermione had tripped for the umpteenth time because of her inexperience at wearing a very long skirt, which was unfortunately part of her uniform as a castle servant. 

To her dismay, Hermione was given clothes identical to Dinah's and quite similar to the ones Hesse gave her, thus meaning layers and layers of cloth. First were the linen undergarments, which were thankfully soft against the skin and which were also long enough to be considered a full outfit back at home. Next was a rose colored cotton dress with sleeves that reached up to her wrists and a full-length skirt that touched the ground. A long sleeveless tunic called a surcoat was placed on top of it, partially hidden by an apron around her waist. There were no stockings this time and the ankle-high shoes were harder and a better fit. 

The next affair to settle was her long bushy hair and Dinah was more meticulous about it than the Gryffindor girls at Hogwarts. After thoroughly combing it – though it felt like yanking to Hermione who was very near tears – for almost an hour, Dinah deftly fixed it in a braid then tightly wound it in a neat bun. Hermione never felt her head that sore and tender until that very day but as the week progressed, she slowly became used to the daily torture. 

"Stupid skirt," grumbled Hermione as she stood up, roughly brushing the offensive item and continued walking briskly to the courtyard. She was already late for her current errand and the head mistress down there was sure to have her head once she arrived. Although Hermione had been working full-time for two weeks, she was still getting used to basically everything: from the countless everyday chores to the castle's labyrinth of passages, courtyards and hallways – places she had always lost her way in. 

As a large bell tolled the current hour, Hermione finally reached a wide area occupied by about two dozen women slaving over laundry; some singing, others chattering as they worked their way through heaping mounds of dirty linen. She slowly worked her way past them and entered into another wide, open space; this time it was filled with rows of clean laundry hung out to dry. It was Hermione's task to get the dry ones down, place them in a large wicker basket and transport the pile back to the inner castle. She often has to make about ten trips or more to complete this particular chore before she could move to the cloisters for her next one. 

Making her way back to the castle, now burdened with a heavy basket in her arms, Hermione's thoughts slowly drifted back to the place she left behind. She would often dream about her parents and even Hogwarts but she would always wake up in the middle of it, tears silently staining her pillow and more drained than the day before. And then, there was still Malfoy. As the days progressed, so did the news of the turmoil plaguing the outside. The attacks of the Nantese were increasing by the hour and Hermione grew steadily concerned for his safety. She knew that with the walled fortress of both Dijon and the castle of Lyon, anyone inside was guaranteed protection but the odds of him staying in the same town were a million to one. All she could do, therefore, was fervently wish that he was as safe as she now was. 

* * ~ ~ * *

"Why are we still keeping him here?"

Draco's eyes fluttered open and a wave of pain and nausea immediately swept over him. He gave a low moan and turned on his side, desperate to slip back into unconsciousness and peace.

"Do not worry, Benin. As soon as Sir Kay gets back, we shall be rid of him once and for all."

__

Him? Draco forced himself to wake up once more and tried to concentrate on the two shadows talking outside amidst his terrible migraine. _Are they talking about me?_

"Well, the sooner the better. Picking up fainted lads from forests is not exactly wise."

"Shut your trap, Benin! It was Sir Kay's will and you know it!"

"But he could be a spy from Nantes or even worse – a hired assassin!"

Nantes again, thought Draco as he slowly got up. But wait, what was he doing here? From what he had heard, some Sir Kay rescued him from the forest and brought him here – wherever here was. Draco's head suddenly swam and he crumpled into the floor. Fortunately, the two men were still bickering too loudly to hear the thump and Draco tried to scramble back up on the bed before they noticed. 

"For the love of God, man, he is just a lad!"

"You can't be too sure, Lars! I'm going inside to check on him. There's something funny about him, that's for sure." Benin drew out his sword, much to the horror of Draco who saw its shadow on the tent flap but Lars held him back.

"Are you mad? We stay in our posts until Sir Kay gets back. You can air your suspicions later."

__

I have to get out of here before Sir Kay gets back and Benin gets to slice me into pieces… Draco knew he was too weak to defend himself if the time came and he decided right then and there to escape. As he stood quietly up he suddenly realized that he was heavily bandaged and completely undressed except for a small cloth tied at his hips. Muttering under his breath, he grabbed a hooded cloak that lay on a chair and tried to inch his way towards the tent opening opposite the two men. 

"Finally! I see Sir Kay approaching and that scrawny squire is with him… Just a few more minutes and I can lay my hand on that boy."

"You wait here and I'll go check on him. Better wake him up now that Sir Kay's here."

Upon hearing this, Draco tightened the cloak around him and quickly raised the tent flap. With hands tightly clutched at his chest, he staggered away from the tent and disappeared into the crowd. 

"I trust that you had improved your skills."

"Yes, my lord. And what of this boy…"

"He is no younger than yourself, Elian. You shall meet him soon enough. Now, I have to – " 

"My lord?" Elian turned to Sir Kay who was now looking at their tent with furrowed eyebrows. He followed the knight's gaze and saw a soldier frantically running towards them.

"He's gone, my lord! I went inside the tent to announce your arrival and the bed was bare!" cried Lars as he dropped to the ground.

Sir Kay looked at Lars for a moment then sighed tiredly. He then turned to Elian and said, "Find him for me. Search only the courtyards. He could not have gone inside the castle."

"Very well, Sir Kay. But I cannot find him if I do not know how he looks…"

"Lars shall accompany you. You must bring him back immediately, unharmed. Alert the other soldiers on your way but I do not want to attract attention."

Elian bowed and together with Lars, hastily ran off in search of Draco. Sir Kay gazed silently after them and after a few minutes walked away in the opposite direction, great concern reflected in his eyes. 

* * ~ ~ * *

"Thank God that's over," said Hermione as she stretched her tired arms up in the air. She had just finished her responsibility in the laundry area and she was now headed towards the cloisters to help clean the stone floors. 

Armed with rags and a bucket, she carefully made her way and entered the passage that would lead to the cloisters. She immediately went to work once she got there, dousing the grime covered floor with water then scrubbing it clean with a rag. Another girl was also in the cloisters but ignored Hermione as she worked devotedly in her own side. 

When her bucket finally became empty Hermione stood up and cautiously made her way towards the large well near the cloisters. While she was pulling the bucket out of the well, angry shouts and orders of 'Halt, I say!' suddenly erupted nearby and Hermione turned around at the sound. Sensing that trouble was already brewing outside, she quickly transferred the water into her own bucket and made her way back to the cloisters. But as she passed by an open gap between the walls, a huge force suddenly knocked her off her feet and water immediately rained on her as the bucket flew high into the air and came crashing down. 

Massaging her head as she knelt down, Hermione drew a sharp intake of breath when she saw a hooded person lying before her. He's the one who must have crashed into me, thought Hermione as she watched the person moan and get back up, terribly swaying as he did. 

"Are you all right? That was a nasty fall right there…" 

The person started in surprise at the sound of her voice and as he slowly turned around to face her, Hermione felt the earth suddenly give way beneath her. That pale face… Those gray eyes… Those lips that were curled into an everlasting smirk… They were finally reunited.

"Malfoy…" 

* * ~ ~ * *

A/N: I can't write anymore. I'm through. Well, at least for this particular chapter anyway… I really hope you liked this. I don't know if it's as good as the first two since I've been out of practice for sooo long. I hope this wasn't boring… I know there was a lot of narrative done but I do believe you got through all of it, if you hadn't fallen asleep by then… Whether you enjoyed or not though I wish you did, don't forget to write me a **review**! Yep. Don't forget to **review**, **review**, **review**! So I'm a sucker for your feedback. Sue me.

I've got some good news. At this point, I am definitely not backing out of finishing this story and as a bonus, I even have a sequel already planned. Yes, there will be a sequel. Now if only I can survive until the final chapters… *nervously bites fingernails* 

I guess that's it. By some luck, I can have the next chapter out by next week or if not, by early May. =)

I won't write any summary for the next chapter. Just expect lots and lots of Draco and Hermione action! Whohooo! =)

And you've probably noticed that I added a few words to the title. I just loved Hoobastank's song since it captures the essence of the D/Hr theme. I may feature it in the later chapters if I'm still up for it…


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